


Embers and Snowflakes

by Smylealong



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25521763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smylealong/pseuds/Smylealong
Summary: Six years after tragedy tore them apart, Katara meets Zuko at a party. Old feelings rise anew.- Modern AU
Relationships: Jet/Katara (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 79
Kudos: 124
Collections: Zutara Week 2020





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> This story, titled Embers and Snowflakes will be a five part story. So I will continue this as a multi-chapter fic for those five prompts. For Celestial and Rebirth, I will be posting them as one shots that are part of the series. 
> 
> Special thanks to Fictionally Fun for agreeing to beta read. You rock, gal!
> 
> As always, R&R
> 
> Happy Zutara Week, peeps!

** Reunion  **

Katara pulled at the hem of her blue sequined dress that ended at her mid-thigh. “Isn’t this a little too short?”

“No,” Suki drawled, without even looking up from her magazine.

“You didn’t even look!”

“Don’t have to.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Is Jet here yet?”

“Nope.”

Katara adjusted the spaghetti strap of her dress in a self-conscious act. “I don’t want to go. I don’t know what I was thinking when I said yes.”

Suki dropped the magazine on the table and turned to look at her. “Katara! What’s going on?”

With a sigh, Katara sat down on the chair, “Jet asked me out.”

Suki licked her lips and said, “Okay? And?”

“I don’t know. I mean I like him, but I don’t love him.”

“Okay, and did you say that to him?”

Katara shifted uncomfortably. “Not in so many words.”

“What did you say to him?”

“I told him I would think about it.”

Suki sighed, “No, Katara! If you don’t want to date him, just say so.”

Katara leaned back on the couch and tried to gather her thoughts. “I… I can’t.”

“Can’t what? Tell Jet that you are not into him or move on from your past?”

Katara sighed and closed her eyes, “Both, I guess?”

“Katara, no. You must stop this. It is fine if you are still hung up on your past. What is not fine is stringing the guy along like this. I mean I’m no big fan of his, he seems obnoxious as heck and I get the feeling that he can stir up trouble, but what you are doing is helping neither him nor you. You’re acting like his girlfriend, by agreeing to go with him to _every_ damn party. Don’t give him ideas. If you want to say no to him, say so. Flat out. You have to figure out what you want. And soon.”

“I don’t know,” Katara said, grabbing her head in her hand. “I want to move on. But … Something stops me.”

Suki leaned over and patted her hand. “You _are_ allowed to have fun, Katara. It is okay if you want to live your life.”

“You think I should date Jet?”

“That is a decision only you can make,” Suki said. “Tell you what? Go to this party and consider if this is what you really want for the foreseeable future. If it looks like you can handle it, then go for it. Step out a little. If not, nip it. Sounds fair?”

Katara nodded. When put like that, it did sound fair.

“He can get a tad clingy though.”

Katara’s lips quirked a bit. “He does that, doesn’t he?”

“Make sure you remember that if you do choose to date him.”

Katara turned to her roommate and soon to be sister-in-law to say something when the bell of their tiny apartment rang. Katara took a deep breath, trying to tell herself that she was doing the right thing. While Suki opened the door, Katara stood up.

“Hi, Jet.”

“Hi Suki. Is Katara ready?”

Suki simply stepped aside to let him in. Jet was dressed in a chocolate brown suit, with a white shirt. He had gelled his hair to brush it backward. Stepping into the house, he looked at Katara. His eyes raked over her body in a way she was not entirely comfortable with, and he let out a whistle, “Wow. You’re looking nice.”

Katara swallowed and forced herself to smile. _You can do this, Katara. Relax a little._ She squared her shoulders and walked over to the shoe rack.

“Thanks. Let’s go,” she said putting on her matching heels.

Jet held out a hand but Katara pretended she did not see it as she busied herself with her purse.

* * *

Katara downed the wine in one swig. This party reminded her of the reason she was reluctant to date Jet in the first place. He had brought her to his office party as his date. But now, like always, he was the center of attention. He was sweet-talking to some people, regaling them with some tale as they hung on every word of his, while she was sitting on the sidelines, drinking wine, and nursing a bruised ego.

It was not that she envied him his silver tongue. That was what had drawn her to him in the first place. The smooth nature and sheer charisma that he possessed had momentarily, made her forget … everything. Sometimes, he could take her mind off the constant emptiness, grief, and guilt that threatened to suffocate her. Jet had made her feel like a girl again, something she thought she had forgotten after _him._ And those were the reasons she was considering saying ‘yes’ to him.

But, in addition to his clinginess, she also had to wonder if she was okay with being Jet’s arm-candy. Supposed to be there at his beck and call, when he needed to show her off. But when he was at the receiving end of attention, she would be cast away, only to be retrieved later when he needed an ego massage. Problem was, Katara knew that she had never really learned to say no to Jet. He had a tendency to sulk when things didn’t go his way, and for reasons she wasn’t entirely certain, Katara found herself indulging his wishes.

Katara kneaded her temple, trying to figure out what to say to Jet. She did not want to be treated like a trophy, to be brought out only when someone wanted to show her off, kept away on the shelf for the rest of the time. But she did not want to nurse a broken heart for the rest of her life either. She wanted to move on.

“Hey, Katara,” Toph’s voice cut through the vortex of darkness that was her thoughts.

“Hey, Toph.”

“What are you doing here all alone?”

Katara made a face, knowing it was pointless, “Take a guess.”

“Jet ditched you again to go frolic somewhere?”

Katara let her silence do the talking.

Toph huffed, “Typical. You know what, let me introduce you to my new partner. I have a feeling you’ll like him.”

“New partner?”

Toph rolled her milky eyes, “What do you think this party is for?”

“Jet didn’t really elaborate. He just said it’s an office party.”

Toph sighed, “That guy! If he were not phenomenal at his job, I’d be kicking his butt for being so irresponsible. Anyway, as you may know, the Bei Fong Corp was looking to expand beyond the Earth Kingdom. This business family who already has a presence all over got wind of it and reached out to me with a lucrative deal. Long story short, we are partnering with them so we can start off big in Caldera.”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware of all that. Congrats.”

“Come, let me introduce you. You _look_ morose.”

Katara chuckled, “I _saw_ what you did there, Toph.”

Toph guffawed, “Let’s go.”

As she walked with Toph, she wondered about her relationship with the blind woman. Even though she was Jet’s boss, Katara and Toph met through their common friend Aang. In fact, Aang had asked Toph out last year and they were now a couple. She had initially worried about being so friendly with Jet’s boss, but Katara and Toph got along like house on fire. Toph was the girl friend Katara had yearned for all her life, but never really had.

“Do you even know where we are going, Toph?”

“Of course,” she scoffed. “Come on.”

Katara always marveled at Toph’s ability to navigate through the bustling throng of people. It was eerie the way she moved, with complete assurance and without fail. In three years, she had only seen her bump into things or people maybe three times. Katara was convinced that it was a superpower.

The two women reached a group of people that were engaged in a conversation. Toph tapped the shoulder of a tall man in a black suit who was standing with his back to them, and said, “Hey, Partner. I want to introduce you to someone.”

The man turned around and Katara felt as though the ground beneath her fell away. Blood drained from her face and her jaw dropped. She did not even notice when the people he had been talking to moved away. All she could do was look at the man standing in front of her. Staring back at her was an exceedingly familiar face, angular, sharp, and handsome. The angry red scar still looked just as prominent as she remembered, but thanks to his current hairstyle, it blended with his face. It was _him._

“Zuko?” she breathed, daring to utter his name in public for the first time in six years.

He gave a small smile and nodded, “Hi, Katara.”

“You guys know each other?” Toph’s incredulous voice came to her as though from miles away.

She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to find the words to respond. Her breath was stolen from her.

“Yeah,” Zuko answered, not taking his eyes off her. “We were childhood friends.”

While not technically wrong, but that was far from the whole truth. It did not speak about their shared past. The love they held for each other. Their torrid affair. Or their brief marriage. Or Zara.

“How are you, Katara?” Zuko asked, his golden eyes pinning her in place.

For Katara, the world around her ceased to exist. Nothing mattered anymore. Standing in front of her was the man she had loved from before she knew what love meant. And the one she would keep loving till her dying day. Nothing had changed. She had deluded herself into believing that she had learned to live without Zuko, but in just one second, he had shattered the illusion. She had not moved on. She never would. Jet and his attention suddenly seemed childlike in comparison.

She gave a small, tight smile and said, “I … I’m okay. You?”

“Going on,” he replied. When he lifted his scotch to his lips, she noticed the tremble in his hands. She felt a thrill of savage pleasure that even he was not unaffected at this surprise **reunion.**

She swallowed the icy chunk of nervousness lodged in her throat and pushed the painful images that fought to come to the fore, casting in her mind to say _something_. She jumped to the obvious. “H-How are Uncle Iroh and Ursa?”

“Uncle’s fine. Just old age issues. Mom’s no more,” he replied, his golden gaze boring into her. “Her cancer returned.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry to hear that,” she meant it.

Somewhere in the recess of her mind, she was aware of the expression on Toph’s face. Her friend was getting very curious, but Katara only had eyes for Zuko. He nodded and licked his lips. His eyes dropped to her lips and she knew he was thinking about the same thing she was. Their kisses. They were, undoubtedly the best kisses she had ever had. Katara bit her lip, suddenly conscious. “How’s Azula?” She asked, hoping to concentrate on anything except the tornado raging inside her.

“Azula is still where she was,” Zuko replied cryptically. Katara knew he did not want to talk about the fact that his sister was currently in a padded cell. Not that she blamed him. She could understand that he would not want to talk about it in front of strangers.

“I see,” she said, wishing she had not left her wine on the table. A sob, six years in making, was building up within her, threatening to break through. Katara blinked rapidly, trying to push away the tears. When her vision focused back, Zuko was looking at her with raw pain on his face. _Maybe he too…_

“How are Sokka and Hakoda? And Gran?” he rasped, cutting through her train of thoughts. Katara spotted that his fingers were white from clutching his glass tightly.

“Gran passed away two years ago. Old age,” Katara said, willing her heart to stop beating so loud. “Dad’s fine. Sokka too. He’s about to get married soon, in fact.”

“Sorry about Gran. And really, Sokka’s getting married? To whom? That girl … what’s her name …Yuki … no Yue?”

“Oh no! Sokka broke up with Yue a while back. He began dating someone else. That’s who he’ll be marrying next month.”

“That’s great.”

“Katara!” Jet came up to her and draped an arm around her shoulders. Every inch of Katara screamed _No._ Across from her, she saw Zuko narrow his eyes ever so slightly but otherwise, his face remained impassive. If she had not known Zuko as well as she did, she would not even have noticed the change of expression on his face. “Oh, I see you’ve met Zuko. We’ll be working together for a while, till the office in Caldera is set up.”

“I heard,” Katara said as she subtly wiggled out of Jet’s embrace. Every pore, every fiber of her wanted to move away from Jet. She had the overwhelming urge to cling to her ex-husband and cry into his shoulders. “I … I need to use the restroom. Excuse me.”

Without waiting for either of the men to say anything, Katara turned around and walked away. Once she was out of their sight, she all but ran into the ladies’ room, stumbled over to a toilet, and retched. The wine she had earlier in the evening made its way out, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Somehow, she made her way to the sink after flushing the toilet. She splashed her face multiple times, not caring that her make-up and mascara ran. Finally, she shut the tap and grabbed on to the sink to stay upright.

“Okay, out with it,” Toph’s voice startled her for the second time in the evening. “And don’t give me the ‘childhood friends’ bullshit. What’s happening?”

“I ate something bad, I guess,” Katara croaked, wiping beads of water and sweat from her forehead.

“Bullshit. After you saw Zuko, your voice cracked, and you became completely erratic. I could sense tears in your words. And he seemed shaken too. Something is going on. What?”

In the shock of seeing Zuko after six years, Katara had forgotten just how perceptive Toph was. She could almost always tell when someone was lying. But she was not ready to divulge the truth either. Katara took a deep breath and said, “Toph, I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it right now. I’ll tell you later, okay? Please don’t mind, but I have to go now? Could you tell Jet I was just… not feeling well?”

Toph chewed her bottom lip for a moment and said, “Okay. You do seem very shaken. I’ll arrange for a car. You go,” She fished out her phone and made a quick call. “My car will be waiting for you downstairs.”

Katara gave her friend a hug. “Thanks a ton. I owe you one.”

“Nonsense. You just take care. Don’t stress out, okay?”

On the car-ride back home, Jet called her a few times, and she ignored them all. She was not up to entertaining his clinginess, not when her past was coming to suffocate her. When she dragged herself into her house, she realized, with some amount of relief that Suki was not home. Katara pulled off her shoes, changed into PJs, and threw herself on the bed. She was still reeling from seeing the golden-eyed man again and found herself struggling to breathe. Her phone beeped. She hoped that it was Zuko’s text, for she would not put it past him to ask Toph for her number and she knew Toph would give it, that girl was intuitive beyond belief. She opened her phone, only to find a series of texts from Jet.

_Katara, where are you?_

_Toph said you’re sick. Are you okay?_

_Why didn’t you tell me? I would have taken you home._

_Leaving me like that at the party was not cool._

Katara was about to dump the phone to the side, when it beeped again, showing a new number. Her fingers shook as she opened the text.

_Hope you reached home safely. We need to talk. Meet me for coffee tomorrow? – Zuko._


	2. Counterpart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko and Katara's history

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the love you guys gave me for the last prompt. In this prompt, you understand their past and what tore them apart.
> 
> As usual, read and review.
> 
> Special thanks for FictionallyFun for beta reading.

**Trigger Warning:** Mentions of a child's death. 

* * *

** Counterpart  **

Zuko lay on his bed, his seconds passing like years. His phone beeped and Zuko opened it, almost dropping the phone in his haste. He grabbed it in time and saw his screen with words that eased the nervous band around his chest.

_Yes. When and where?_

This reply was easier to type out than the original question.

_I have meetings till 4. So, 5? You pick the place. I don’t know Gaoling very well._

She responded almost instantly. _5 is good. Peets. I’ll text you the address._

 _Thanks._ His fingers paused over the keys, wondering if he wanted to say anything else or not. Finally, he just hit send. He dropped the phone to the side of the bed and sighed. Pain and pleasure fought within him as memories assaulted him. Memories of Katara, of the times he would wake up to her smile. Her mussed hair. Katara walking around in his shirt, humming slightly. Her feet burrowing under him because her toes were always cold. And then, Zara.

Zuko took a deep, shuddering breath. He missed her. He really _really_ missed her. After Zara, he had no idea what to say to her, so he didn’t speak. Grief delivered a telling blow and silence drove the final nail into the coffin of their marriage. He could never forget returning home to find her gone, with just a note saying that she was leaving him. Today, he understood that they were both far too young for marriage and for Zara. Katara was only nineteen when they got married! And he was twenty-one. The pregnancy and the consequent marriage were unplanned and rushed. Of course, they couldn’t handle the curveball that life threw at them. They didn’t know enough to handle the problems.

Now, at twenty-eight years of age, he knew what he _should_ have done. He should have stayed by her. Held her. Built her up. They should have helped each other through their grief. They were, as they used to say in their teens, the **counterparts,** after all. Everyone else used to talk about finding soulmates, but for them, they were each other’s missing parts. The yin to his yang. She made him whole. And when she left, he should have gone after her, but he didn’t. He had let silence enter their relationship and it had driven a chasm between them.

He had somehow deluded himself into believing that his life was fine. Katara walked out of it of her own volition and he was not going to come after her, begging. At least that’s what he had told himself. But then, last year, a drunk driver crashed into his car, killing Ozai and injuring him severely. Lying in the hospital, fighting for his life, he found that he only had one desire. He wanted Katara. He _needed_ her.

As soon as he was able to, he set about looking for her. Finding her was easier than he had thought it would be. It had taken him all of twenty minutes of searching online to find that she was currently living in Gaoling. Knowing Katara, if he had just shown up at her doorstep, she would have slammed it on his face. He had to approach her in a way that did not speak of his desperation. Besides, there was always a possibility that she had moved on from him. He wanted to give her the chance to decide without feeling imposed upon. His approach had to look legitimate, so she would not feel pressured. It had taken some stalking…err… _research_ of her Social Media to figure out that she was friends with Toph Bei Fong. The rest was as simple as sending a mutually beneficial proposal to the Bei Fong Corp. 

While Zuko had expected to see her again today, what he hadn’t counted on was the effect she would have on him. One look at her beautiful blue eyes had completely undone him. That blue dress that clung on to her curves like a second skin reminded him of their passionate times. What wouldn’t he give to be able to peel that dress off her and savor every inch of hers?

“Katara,” he breathed, as he found himself hardening with need. “I’m winning you back.”

* * *

Zuko unbuttoned the tuxedo jacket and buttoned it again. “You’re just meeting her for coffee,” he muttered. “Tux is too much.”

He had, for all practical purposes, sleepwalked through his meetings. Sometime during the day, he came face to face with Jet. The man exuded an overconfident aura that would have annoyed Zuko on any given day. The fact that he had clung to Katara at the party, and was possibly her current flame, did nothing to endear the man to him. Jet must have picked up on the icy vibes because he was giving Zuko the cold shoulder by the time the meeting was done.

Toph, with whom he had lunch, was burning up with curiosity. She had tried, with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, to figure out what the deal was between him and Katara. But Zuko had deflected every question. It was evident to him that Katara had not told her about their shared past and he did not want to divulge something so private to a mere acquaintance. Finally, unable to handle the probing any longer, he had replied, rather brusquely, “Why don’t you ask Katara about it? I’m here to talk about business. Not my personal life.”

That had gotten her to shut up. Finishing his meetings, he had rushed to his hotel to shower and change. Last night, on his way back from the party, he had impulsively purchased a bracelet for Katara. He ditched the tux and settled for a pair of khakis and a maroon shirt. He pocketed the velvet pouch that carried Katara’s bracelet and hurried down. Throughout the car ride, he wondered what he could say to her. Up until now, everything had gone as he had planned, but now was the moment of truth. They had to talk. Too much had been left unsaid. But now, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

As he got out of the car, he spotted Katara walking towards the café, wearing a green floral print dress that came down to her knees. _This_ was more Katara’s style. She had never been comfortable wearing dresses that went more than two inches above her knees. The blue dress she had on during the party had, in fact, surprised him with the shortness of its hem. Not that she didn’t look beautiful. He had found her beautiful even when she had lost three of her front teeth and had snot running down her nose. Sokka used to say Zuko would find Katara beautiful even if she draped a hemp sack around herself. But that blue dress was just not _her_.

While he was busy reminiscing, Katara walked up to him and gave a small, tentative smile. “Hi.”

“Hey,” he said, aware of how breathless he sounded. “Thanks for coming.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I had to, didn’t I?”

Zuko tried not to read too much into that sentence. “Shall we?”

She nodded and together they climbed the small set of stairs to the café. They each placed their orders and Zuko was pleased to see that her coffee order had remained unchanged- a small mocha-latte, with a pump of vanilla. Armed with their respective coffees, they walked over to the patio and sat under an umbrella. For a few precious moments, all they did was stare at each other, unable to speak. At long last, she broke the silence.

“How long are you staying in Gaoling?”

 _For as long as you want me to stay._ He thought. Aloud, he said, “My flight is tomorrow night.”

“I see.”

“So…SW Tutorials still going strong?” Zuko knew, but he wanted to hear it from her.

A bright smile lit up her face as she said, “Oh Zuko, you wouldn’t believe it! I have my own tutorial website now. With many teachers working either full time or part-time. I have about five hundred students enrolled there. It’s getting bigger even as we speak.”

He grinned. When he had visited her website, the sheer pride he had felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The feeling that coursed through him now, seeing her speak of her achievement, was unparalleled. The pure joy on her face was a sight to behold. Zuko realized he could listen to her talking about it for hours. Six years ago, she had been working hard to build an online platform to help children with learning disabilities. She even offered classes to children simply struggling with their coursework or the ones who could not attend classes due to health or financial conditions. To have come from there to here, almost entirely on her own, was no mean feat.

“Incredible!” he said smiling wide. “You did it! I always knew you would.”

“Thanks,” she said with a bashful yet proud smile. “I mean, Sokka did help with the web-designing and Suki with some marketing, but yeah, I did it! I love every moment of it.”

“Suki?”

“My roommate. She’s the one Sokka is going to marry.”

“I see.”

She licked her lips and said, “I read in the papers that you took over Sozin & Sons?”

Zuko sighed, “Yeah. The one son that wasn’t meant to even look at it.”

Katara’s hand rose a bit as though she wanted to touch him, but she seemed to have thought better of it and dropped it back. “Ozai must be having a conniption.”

“He would be if he were alive,” Zuko replied flippantly. “He died in a car accident last year.”

“I wish I could say I was sorry,” Katara said, earning a snort from him.

“You and me, both. I haven’t told anyone, but I can tell you. You would know why I did it and you won’t judge me,” Zuko said, running a finger along the rim of his cup. “After he died, I opened a bottle of champagne in celebration.”

“Trust me, Zuko, I get it. I’d have joined you if I were … you know … there.”

“Yeah, I know. You know, he never even visited Azula?” Zuko muttered. “I mean, he’s the one responsible for her being where she is. And the asshole didn’t even bother to go and visit. I used to think I’d borne the brunt of his sadism,” he gestured at his scar before continuing, “But she had it far worse. I failed her too. Like I failed you.”

Katara took a deep, long sip of her coffee. When she lowered the cup, there was a slight tremble in her hands. “No, Zuko. We both failed each other. And in doing so, we failed ourselves.”

“You didn’t fail me, Katara,” Zuko replied, aghast. “Zara was not your fault.”

Katara closed her eyes for a second before saying in a wheezy voice, “She wasn’t your fault either. It is called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome for a reason.”

Zuko’s fingers tightened around the cup as the face of his daughter came back to him. Zara looked just like him, with Katara’s ocean eyes staring back at him from the tiny little face. He would never forget holding that little bundle in his arms. He remembers walking with her in his arms, trying to put her to sleep. And then, one day, less than two months after she was born, Zara passed away.

Zuko shut his eyes as tears threatened to spill over. When her hand covered his, he felt a jolt of electricity pass through him, and she said, “It still hurts, doesn’t it?”

He nodded and laced his fingers through hers. “Always. Not day goes by that I don’t think about her. About us.”

A tear dropped down her cheek and she swallowed as pain danced raw on her face. “She was the reason we got married in the first place. If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, we wouldn’t have married.”

“Married at that time you mean,” Zuko said. “We always meant to get married to each other.”

Katara nodded, drawing small circles on his hand with her thumb. “You’re right. We should have listened to my dad and your Uncle. We shouldn’t have married that early.”

Zuko gave a weak chuckle. “Since when have you or I _ever_ listened to anyone?”

Katara laughed half-heartedly. “Never.”

Zuko sniffled and shook his head, forcing himself to the present. “So … I take it you’re dating Jet now?”

“No,” she groaned. “He asked me out, but I’m yet to give an answer.”

Zuko frowned, “Really? Do you want to date him?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I thought for a while that I did, but now I know he was… kind of a stand-in. Rebound, I guess. He reminded me of you.”

“What? He and I are nothing alike.”

Katara made a noise, “There are similarities. I guess I have a type. Anyway, what about you? Any girlfriends in the picture?”

He shook his head, “No. Between my own grief, mom’s cancer, Azula’s care, Uncle, and Sozin & Sons, I just didn’t have the time. And frankly, I didn’t even feel like having one. Mai asked me out once, and I did go to a couple of dates with her, but that led to nothing.”

They sat in silence, sipping their coffee. Zuko couldn’t help but notice that their hands were still intertwined. Occasionally, they looked at each other. Neither of them looked away in a hurry or appeared embarrassed. Zuko wondered if she saw Zara in his face like he could see her in Katara’s eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but her phone rang at that moment. Katara looked at the screen and silenced the phone, letting it go to voicemail.

“Jet is trying to get in touch with me,” she explained. “I just can’t deal with him at this moment.”

“Just drop him a text that you’ll get back to him soon.”

Katara nodded and pulled her hand out of his. Zuko mourned the loss of contact, but he was not going to complain. She typed a quick message and within seconds her phone buzzed with a reply. Seeing the response, Katara hissed. At that moment, Zuko had to feel sorry for the guy. He had pressed her buttons, and when they met again, he was most likely getting chewed out.

“He can be so annoying sometimes,” Katara said. “I just told him that I will call him back in some time, I am busy. See what he sent me?”

Katara thrust her phone in his hand and Zuko read the text.

_Why? What are you doing? Are you avoiding me? I know you’re not home so you’re not sick. Where are you?_

“Wow,” Zuko said, handing her the phone. “Clingy much?”

Katara rolled her eyes, “You have _no_ idea. It’s especially jarring when I compare how non-clingy our relationship was.”

“A little too non-clingy,” Zuko said, tapping his cup on the table. “I should have clung to you when you left. I didn’t. You left and I didn’t go after you. I regret that so much. I wish I had come after you.”

“Why didn’t you?” Katara asked in a whisper, making something twist painfully in his chest. He had been asking this very question to himself every night that he spent staring at the ceiling.

“I don’t know,” Zuko replied. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”

Katara rubbed her hands on her eyes and said, “I don’t know what I wanted, Zuko. I… I was mad with grief. I was so wrapped up in my own pain, I didn’t even think about you and how much pain you must’ve been in. We were supposed to be **counterparts**. But I … I didn’t… I just left you alone when you needed me the most. And I have regretted that every day since.”

“As did I. You needed me too, and I didn’t help you. And I am so sorry about that. But, as you said, we both made mistakes,” he pulled out the velvet pouch from his pocket and handed it to her. “I got this for you. Umm … I … Accept it as a token of my apology. Or maybe …. as a reunion gift. Or … an olive branch … I don’t know”

Katara’s lips twitched to a smile as she wiped tears off her eyes, “I see you’re still as eloquent as ever.”

Zuko laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, his grief lightening a bit. “Yeah, you know me.”

Slowly she undid the tie at the top and pulled the bracelet out. It was a prong-set pear-shaped blue sapphire, surrounded by a halo of diamonds and an outer halo of sapphires. Strands of silver beads formed a V on both sides of the pear, before ending into a delicate chain. “Zuko! This is beautiful. But … you didn’t have to.”

“Really, Katara? You’re being formal with me? _Me?_ ”

She grinned, handed the bracelet to him, and held out her hand. “Put it on?”

With a smile, Zuko draped the bracelet around her wrist. Once he had locked the clasp, she slid her fingers through his and looked into his eyes.

“Zuko,” she whispered. “Please don’t go so soon.”


	3. Fuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara and Zuko talk more, this time in private.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful response to this story. I have had this story in mind for a while, but it is only now that I have been able to put it in words. I’m glad you all are enjoying this story so much.

Special thanks to the wonderful **FictionallyFun** for beta reading.

As usual, read and review. Your words make me a happy panda.

PS: Why are giant pandas such adorable floofballs?

* * *

****

** Fuse  **

Zuko’s suite at the hotel was huge, with a seating area and a bedroom. Not that she expected anything else, but sometimes she forgot who he was. To her, he was always Zuko. The lonely boy she and Sokka had befriended. The boy she fought with all the way to school. The person she loved with everything she had in her. He and Azula would come to Iroh’s at weekends in the beginning. But as time went on, they would come over more and more often. Katara was not sure when and how she had started liking Zuko. Was it when she was six and he had fallen off his bike cutting his leg badly enough to warrant stitches? She had wept till late in the night that day. Or was it at eleven, when she had found him hiding up the tree, after a particularly bad outburst from Ozai? Or was it when she had woken up screaming and holding her left eye, only to learn later that day that Ozai had burned him?

That had happened again last year. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, she had woken up screaming, clutching her chest. To her, it felt as though someone had stabbed her in the chest. She still remembered calling Sokka frantically and sobbing. For days, she was worried sick that Zuko was dead. But then, one day, Sokka sent her a screenshot of a news article about Zuko inheriting Sozin & Sons. That day, she had clutched the phone in her hands and cried for hours. It was that day that she had realized that Zuko was **fused** into her soul. He would always be with her, a part of her.

“Order something for dinner,” Zuko said walking back into the sitting area of his room with his laptop in his hand. “I need to make a few phone calls, change the hotel, and flight reservations.”

The realization of what her request entailed made her stomach twist with guilt. “Oh no! I’m so sorry, Zuko I didn’t even think –“

He held up a hand to cut off her apology. He put his laptop on the table, sat down next to her and took her hands in his, “Please, Katara. Don’t apologize. I’m not doing this just because you asked. I want to do this too.”

He looped his fingers through hers and looked straight at her, “Can I be absolutely honest with you?”

Katara nodded, unable to tear her eyes from his face.

“I want to sit here and talk to you. I want us to move past the grief and give us a chance. I … I want my wife back.”

Katara yanked her hand from his, her throat tightening with a sob, “If that’s what you wanted, then why didn’t you look for me all this time? Six years and not a peep from you. And now, suddenly, you walk back and decide you want your wife back? That’s not how things work, Zuko. Do you even know what it was like to learn to live without you? It was as though I had lost a part of me. Do you know what it is like to live without being able to breathe?” Katara knocked her knuckles on her sternum, as though trying to dislodge something that was stuck there. She spoke her next words through gritted teeth, “My breath is stuck in my chest, Zuko. I can’t breathe in nor can I breathe out. Now, suddenly, six years later, you just pop up from nowhere and say you want your wife back? You didn’t even fucking call, Zuko! Six years!”

“Might I remind you that _you_ walked out, Katara,” Zuko said slowly.

“I did,” Katara said, her voice quivering. She buried her face in her hands, “And I have regretted it every day since then.”

“Why didn’t _you_ call, Katara? I didn’t call because I thought that’s what you wanted. I thought … that if you could live without me, I could do so too. I was stupid. But you? Why didn’t you pick up the phone and call me?”

Katara swallowed the painful sob in her throat and said, “I wish I could answer that question, Zuko. I don’t know. I… I didn’t know what to say to you. I was scared. I kept seeing Zara everywhere. I was driven mad with grief and I made a huge mistake.”

“ _We_ made a huge mistake,” Zuko said as she dry-heaved into her hands. He leaned over and ran a hand over her head. That little contact broke her and she launched herself onto him, clinging to him as a drowning person would to a piece of wood. He was her lifeline. Zuko pulled her closer, gathering her in an awkward hug.

“I’m sorry, Zuko. I’m so so sorry,” she wept.

“I’m sorry, Katara,” he said through his own tear-laden voice. “I should have come for you, but I didn’t. And I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I let you slip away. I should have come a long time ago. But… What’s done is done. I can’t change that. But I am here now. I came to Gaoling looking for you. Not for some contract with the Bei Fongs.”

Katara drew back but kept her hands on his shoulders. “What? You’re here for me?”

“Yes,” he nodded, not taking his hands off her waist, “I looked for you, figured you’re here. And that’s why I approached Toph. I couldn’t simply show up at your doorstep after six years.”

“Why? Why now? What changed?”

Zuko licked his lips and ran his knuckles along her jawline. “When you left, I told myself that it was fine. I could live without you. And, truthfully speaking, I cannot really complain about how my life is without you. I’m working hard, I’m taking care of Azula, took care of mom when she was on her death bed. I’m even looking after Uncle now. But … I’m just doing my duties. If that’s all there is to life, then yes, I’m living. But… it’s empty, Katara. There is no laughter. No joy. No love. No … nothing. I didn’t realize just how empty my life was until I … I had an accident last year. The same one in which Ozai died.”

Katara’s hand flew to her chest, where she knew he had a wound. “You were badly hurt, weren’t you? Your chest …”

“Yes, a part of the windshield had lodged into my chest,” he frowned and looked at her in question. “How do you know that? The fact that I was in the car with Ozai was kept away from the media.”

Katara reached over and placed her tentative fingers over his wound, tears pooling into her eyes. “I felt it.”

Zuko’s eyes widened and he looked at her with his jaw hanging open. The shrill ring of her phone broke the moment and Katara gave an annoyed huff. “I swear, Jet, I’m getting seriously annoyed,” she said and grabbed the phone, but paused at seeing the name. “Sokka?”

She leaned back into the sofa, and put the phone on speaker, “Hello?”

“Katara! Are you okay? Jet made it sound like you’re dying or something.”

Katara sighed, “Sokka, I’m fine. “Don’t worry about me. I just need some time alone, okay?”

“What?” Sokka’s tone turned concerned. “Why? What’s going on? Are _you_ okay?”

“Sokka, I’m fine. Just tell Jet that you have talked to me and that I will call him sometime soon. But for now, I just need to be left alone.”

“I said that,” Sokka pressed. “But Jet just doesn’t listen. You know him. He keeps demanding to know where you are.”

Katara cast an exhausted look at Zuko and he nodded. “Sokka, can you video chat?”

“Uh, okay, hold on.” Moments later, she swiped her thumb across her phone screen to answer. “This is where I am,” she said and moved the phone enough so that the camera captured them both. Sokka’s eyes widened in recognition and his jaw dropped.

“Hi, Zuko here.”

“Yeah, no shit!” Sokka said, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. “What … wow … how? Where did you come from, buddy?”

“I’ll explain everything later,” Zuko said. “Right now, I just need time with Katara.”

Sokka slapped a hand to his forehead, “I’m an idiot. Of course. I’ll … call me, yeah? Oh, and Zuko … it’s so good to see you again.”

“Same here. Really good to see you again, buddy.”

“Hey, Katara, you okay?”

“I am. Can you please handle Jet now?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about him. You take care, okay. Both of you. Okay?”

“Thanks,” Katara said. “Bye Sokka.”

“Bye.”

In the resultant silence, Katara looked at her phone, a hundred emotions swirling within her.

“Katara,” Zuko’s voice drew her attention. “I want to give us a chance again. I know we have to work through a lot of things. If we are going to do this, we need to move past everything that has happened. I suspect we would need therapy. And I don’t harbor any illusions that it is going to be easy. Far from it. I cannot move from Caldera, primarily because of Azula. I have to be there for her. I can’t move her, because she is not in a state to handle a move. I also cannot expect you to move in with me, simply because I’m asking. I don’t know if you even _want_ to give us a chance. I just want to lay my heart bare. I want you to make the decision yourself. This is what I want. Now, it’s up to you.”

The tears that had been brimming in her eyes spilled over. Zuko leaned over and with a gentle touch, he thumbed them away. “Zuko … I … I … Can I hug you?”

She watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down before he nodded. With a sigh, he pulled her closer, such that her head was on his shoulder. Katara folded into him, bunching his shirt into her fingers. One of his arms went around her shoulders, while the other lay on her head, threading his fingers through her hair. Enveloped in his scent, his touch, and his feel, Katara’s dam broke. The pain that she had buried in her for six years broke free and she wept. She wept for the baby that she had lost. For losing the love of the only man that mattered. For the grief that threatened to engulf her. For the hope that was rekindling in her heart.

Under her hand, she felt his chest heave with trembling breath. “I hope you will come back to me, Katara,” he sounded so broken. So tired. “I can’t live without you.”

“I need time, Zuko,” she said. “I need to think. I’m not saying no. I just … need some time.”

“Of course,” if he was disappointed, he did not show it. “I didn’t expect you to simply drop everything and come with me, just because I want you to.”

“If we do this, we will do it right this time,” she said. “I love you, Zuko. But, like we learned the last time, that isn’t enough. You say you want your wife back, but married life requires a lot more than just love.”

“I love you too, Katara. And I agree completely,” Zuko replied. “And for that, I’m willing to take things at the pace you are comfortable with. I want to do this.”

Katara wiped her tears and gave a small smile, “Shall we get something to eat?”


	4. Celestial

I’m truly touched and overwhelmed with the support you all have shown me. Flattered, I am. My gratitude comes from the bottom of my heart. Regarding this prompt, it is a one-shot, unrelated to **Embers and Snowflakes**. This is titled **Sands of Time.** I have been **dying** to share this prompt. Mainly because the moment I saw this prompt, this story popped into my mind. I’m a sucker for this theme and I haven’t read a good Zutara in this theme anywhere. If anyone knows one, please guide me to it.

I describe a portrait here. The picture I had in mind while drawing it can be found in Deviantart. Search for Fire Lord Zuko by TeaInk if you are interested.

As usual, read and review.  
  
Three important things to say before I begin.

->Yes, Katara's dad is not Hakoda here.

-> Yes, it is **Modern AU,** yet, not quite. You'll see.

-> The parts in italics are the shenanigans in the Spirit World.

PS: Yes, I wanted to make this story a different part of the Zutara series, but I couldn't figure out how to do it. So yes, all seven prompts are going to be in this one work. Sorry for the confusion.

PPS: **Embers and Snowflakes** continues in the next prompt, **Hesitancy**.

* * *

** Celestial  **

** SANDS OF TIME **

_Noroi was irritated. It had just been a harmless prank, hadn’t it? All he had done is given Tatuo six arms. That’s it. Tatuo was a powerful **celestial** being. How much trouble would four extra arms cause? He could have gotten rid of them with a mere thought. But noooooo, he had gone on and tattled to Raava. The great spirit of light and peace had, pretty much, lost it. Long story short, Noroi was now stuck doing the most menial of tasks, sorting of souls. He was meant to pick the conjoined pair of souls, split them down the middle, check the serial number against the list floating in front of him, and drop them into the slots denoting the timeline they were meant to be in. These two souls would eventually become mates and further the circle of life. Booooooring._

_Besides, whatever is “time_ line” _? Whoever came up with the idea that time was a line? Even the lowliest of spirits knew that time was malleable. A wave that could move back and forth. Yes, the higher spirits frowned upon any meddling with time. They said that the consequences were far-reaching, and that time was a delicate matter and blah blah blah and yada yada yada._

_The point was it was doable. Yes, it was complicated and really not something Noroi would ever want to do. But it was doable. These souls, the ones he was sorting, would never know that the lives they would be leading would be entirely different if Noroi’s hand so much as slipped and these little blue discs of energy went down the wrong slot. But he was an incredibly careful and meticulous worker. He would not…_

_“Yo Noroi!”_

_Tatuo’s voice startled him and the disc that Noroi had been holding slipped out of his hand. “Tatuo! Grab that!” Noroi screamed._

_Tatuo flew across the starry galaxy and rushed to hold it but the disc floated along, bypassing several lines of slots before it slipped down one. Noroi and Tatuo turned to each other, their corporeal forms flickering._

_“Which soul was that?” Tatuo asked, terrified._

_“I… I don’t know, I have to check the serial number,” Noroi said. “Which chute did it go down?”_

_Tatuo peered at the slot and groaned, “1996 AG.”_

_Noroi’s form quivered, “I was still sorting through AG 85! That’s almost two thousand years! What were you thinking?”_

_Tatuo’s form shrunk as he said, “I… I had just come to tease you.”_

_“Can we retrieve it now?”_

_“You know we can’t,” Tatuo replied, swatting a passing meteorite in frustration. “Those chutes are only for human souls. They will attack non-human energy like us.”_

_Noroi groaned and sat on top of an uninhabited planet. “Raava is going to tie me to a comet and make me go around the universe.”_

_Tatuo’s form solidified. “Only if she comes to know about it.”_

_“What are you suggesting?”_

_“Look, it’s just one soul. We know this soul’s mate is born somewhere around AG85, right? So, we just go to AG1996 and check for the serial numbers and put the slipped soul back in AG85. Simple. Raava won’t even know! What Raava doesn’t know, wouldn’t hurt her.”_

* * *

** 2018 AG **

The buzzing of her phone distracted the Water Bender from her work. With a click of her tongue, she stuck her pencil into her hair bun and pulled the still vibrating device from her pocket.

“Hello, Dad,” she said.

“Where are you?” Sungho said without preamble.

“At the museum,” she replied. “Where else?”

“Why can’t you be a normal girl and go clubbing or have dates?”

“If this is what we’re talking about, I’m hanging up. I’m not supposed to be chatting on the phone here.”

“Okay, okay, I was calling to remind you that dinner is at my sister’s today. So make sure you drive to Aunt Jemmi’s.”

“Yes, yes. I remember.”

“Grab some beer on your way over,” Sungho added.

“Right.”

“And it is about to rain, so be safe.”

“Dad,” Katara said slowly. “I’m indoors.”

“Oh right. Okay. See ya,”

“Bye.”

Katara pocketed her phone and pulled her pencil out to resume her sketch. With her tongue between her teeth, she began to shade the scar on his beautiful face. Like every other Fire Lord, he too had his hands held up to his sides, with twin flames burning over his palms. But unlike the other Fire Lords, he had a pair of swords strapped to his back. His flame-shaped crown was perched on his topknot, while the rest of his hair fell below his shoulders, as was the fashion for Fire Lords back then.

Katara could never tell why, but she had always found herself drawn to tales about this man. She still remembered the first time she had seen a portrait of this man. She had been eight years old and had been at the library where her mother volunteered. There she had been leafing through books when she saw the painting of this man. It had been a modern artist’s rendition of the Fire Lord Zuko I. A monarch from the Rokai Dynasty, the first of his name. There were three other Fire Lords Zuko after him, but none of them reached his level of popularity or prominence.

The picture showed the left side of his face, as the men held a flame, illuminating his scar and golden eyes. Except for the Fire Bender and the element, the rest of the frame was dark. Katara ran her finger over the profile, feeling as though she knew this man. Somehow.

As time passed, that feeling only grew. As did the feeling that she did not really belong here. Something was off, but Katara could never put her finger on it. While the girls around her collected posters of film-stars, pop-idols, and sports-stars, Katara collected every bit of information she could about the Fire Lord. She even had a huge portrait of the man in her room. Her friends would often tease her for fangirling over a man whose bones had turned to dust before even her great-great-grandfather was born.

But Katara plowed on, ignoring the naysayers. She had read stories of his bravery, his valor, his prowess. Tales spoke of a Fire Bender unlike any before or since. They painted the picture of a master swordsman. Of a hero who was instrumental in stopping a century-long war. Of a benevolent king and a beloved ruler.

It was Katara’s relentless pursuit of this man that had brought her here. This building was rumored to have been Fire Lord Zuko’s home. Even though the palace had been turned into a museum, Katara couldn’t help but wonder if he had ever been in the spot where she was standing? Maybe this was the very place he stood for the portrait? Katara knew her thoughts were pointless, but the pull Zuko’s golden eyes held for her was indescribable.

* * *

_Unknown to the girl, two **celestial** beings were surveying her. They traveled on the dust motes, swirling around her. _

_“Are you sure, Noroi?” Tatuo asked, his voice carried to the other spirit telepathically._

_“Yes, I checked the serial number.”_

_“Finally,” Tatuo heaved. “Now can we send this soul to where it is supposed to be?”_

_“There is a problem. This one seems to have reached maturity.”_

_“I don’t care,” Tatuo said testily. “We have spent so long searching for this one. Now let us just fix it, okay?”_

_“We just have one more problem,” Noroi said. “She won’t know the language.”_

_“That’s easily taken care of,” Tatuo said and waved a hand over the girl’s head, some sprinkles falling on the girl unnoticed by everyone. “Now she can speak and understand their language. Done?”_

_“But Raava –“_

_“Noroi! You are not backing out now!” Tatuo said, his form buzzing in anger._

_“Fine, fine,” Noroi nodded and the two spirits clapped._

* * *

Katara groaned and raised her hand to her throbbing head, only to realize that her hand felt heavier than usual. Her eyes shot open, surprised to find herself surrounded by darkness. What happened to the lights at the museum? And why did her head feel like it was about to break open?

Moaning, she pushed herself to a seating position. Her entire body hurt, and the air smelled… different. The museum had smelled of disinfectant and room fresheners. But the smell reaching her at that moment was… what was it? It wasn’t a bad smell, but she was not familiar with it either. A sliver of apprehension crept up her spine, making her shudder. It was at that moment, she realized that she was also cold. With a twinge of regret, she recalled that her sweatshirt was in the museum’s guest locker. This meant, that at that moment, she was dressed in a peach-colored tank-top, a pair of blue capris, and white running shoes. With a groan, she pulled her knees up, only to find that her legs weighed much heavier than they should. The scraping noise of metal only added to her confusion.

“What the fuck?” Katara said as she began to grope around blindly, till her hands closed around a chain. A thick, heavy, metal chain. Her fingers traveled across the ridges, following the links up to the shackle tied around her ankles. In a blind panic, she grabbed her wrists, only to find them bound in manacles as well.

“Help! Is anybody here? Hello!”

A jet of fire shot through the darkness and a lamp lit up in some distance. In the dim, flickering light, she could make out bars between herself and the source of light.

_Fuck! What is happening? Where the fuck am I?_

Somewhere in the distance, a man’s voice muttered something, and Katara heard someone’s feet slap on stones. After what seemed like years, she heard a new set of footsteps. Unlike the ones she had heard before that had pitter-pattered on the stone. This one had a markedly steadier pace. A loud clang was followed by a metallic screech that rebounded on her several times. By the faint, flickering glow of the torches, she saw the silhouette of a tall person approaching her, followed by another man of similar height but of a stockier build.

“Who are you?” The first man asked. Katara frowned because of how odd things were. It was as though she was listening to a bad dub, where she could hear an incomprehensible language as well as words that made perfect sense, both reaching her ears in the same voice, at the same time. She shook her head, trying to make sense of the bizarre occurrence.

“I’m Katara Dagat. I’m about to start my internship at St. Runsos Cancer Hospital soon.”

“What on earth are you even saying, Woman?” another badly dubbed male voice said.

“Why have you kidnapped me?” Katara said, trying and failing to keep the edge off her voice. “Look, I don’t have any money. I work at a restaurant, I’m up to my eyes in debt. Student loan. There’s no way I can pay any ransom.”

“What are you even talking about? What is a student loan? Does anybody know?” the second voice said.

“Shall we do this again. Katara, was it?” the first voice, the one that had a raspy quality to it, said in a soft yet commanding tone. “Where are you from?”

“New Republic City,” she said.

“Where is that?” the second voice questioned.

“Ummm, not far from the museum I was at. An hour’s drive maybe… wait, where am I?”

“In prison.” the raspy voice said.

“P-p-prison!” Katara screeched. “I’m not a criminal! I’m just an intern, hoping to be a doctor! Please, this is a misunderstanding. Why have you kept me in prison? Are you going to torture me?”

“We ask the questions here,” the raspy-voiced male said. Something about the way he spoke made her realize that he was the leader of these people. “How did you end up in my private quarters?”

“Private quarters? What are you even talking about? The last thing I remember, I was at a museum, minding my own business. Look, call my father, okay? He’ll tell you I’m just a regular girl doing regular things. I am not a criminal, I swear. This is a mistake. Call my dad. Please, call my dad.”

“Where is your father?” the other man said. “How do we call him here?”

 _What?_ “My phone. Use it. He’s on speed dial.”

“What?” the raspy voice said. “What is a phone?”

 _Wait… what?_ “Haha, very funny. Please, I have rights. Even the police give one phone call. Please, just call my dad.”

“I think she’s touched in the head,” the second man said.

“I’m not ‘touched in the head’,” Katara snapped. “Why have you kidnapped me? Who _are_ you all?”

“Let’s do this again, Katara,” there was something soothing about the husky voice. “What were you doing in my private quarters?”

“Why will I be in your private quarters? I don’t even know you! Who _are_ you?”

The man she thought was their leader, went down on a knee, and lit a flame on his palm, holding it closer to his face. In the light, Katara found herself looking at the face she had drawn hundreds of times. One that was awfully familiar, yet one she had never expected to see. Her eyes grew wide and she squeaked, “Zuko?”

And then, she passed out.


	5. Hesitancy

Continuing with part four of **Embers and Snowflakes**. More of the two figuring out what they want from here on.

A lot of people asked me if I plan to continue with the story I wrote for Celestial. I’ll be honest, I am tempted but I probably won’t. Not yet. Once I finish BHASB and Sleepless, then _maybe._ Maybe after even **Subterfuge**. Let’s see how things go.

For now, enjoy this one. Love you.

As always, Read and review.

* * *

** Hesitancy (30th July) **

Katara closed the laptop and leaned back, a small smile dancing on her face. Last night, after dinner, Zuko had asked her to stay. A request she had complied with readily. They lay in bed together, after six years, and spent the night talking. Throughout the night, she lay on his shoulder while he played with her hair. They spoke about their pain, about Zara, about what they did in the years they were away from each other. They also spoke about what they wanted to do, what it would entail if they did decide to resume their relationship – if they wanted to get married again right away or start with just dating each other again.

Katara ran a finger over the bracelet. She loved it and it was the most beautiful gift anyone had ever given her. She wasn’t surprised that it was Zuko who had given it to her. He knew her inside out. He knew her likes and dislikes. She wrapped her fingers around the bracelet and lay it against her breast.

“I love you,” she whispered, knowing full well he was nowhere near her to hear those words. But she could not help the words blossoming to her lips. She was _feeling_ loved. Zuko had come looking for her. He was still the gentle, observant man she loved. Last night, while preparing for bed, she had paused, tugging at her skirt.

“Still not comfortable with going to bed in outside clothes?”

She had just given a weak chuckle. In response, he had opened his cupboard and said, “Here, pick up something that you think is comfortable.”

She had picked up a cotton tee shirt and changed into it in the bathroom. **Hesitancy** crept in, a little, upon spotting the lust in his eyes when she had walked in wearing his shirt. “Reminds me of olden days,” was all he said and did not talk about it again, knowing full well that she was not ready for that kind of intimacy yet.

Zuko had dropped her off at her apartment in the morning, telling her that he would pick her up again later in the day and Katara could not wait. Her phone beeped with a text and she opened it to find a text from the man of her dreams.

_Z- I can smell you on me. I like that. Missed that._

Katara gave a small chuckle, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks, and typed her response.

K- _Good. I have been unable to take my eyes off the bracelet. I love it._

_Z- Thanks. I’m glad. Had lunch yet?_

_K- About to. You?_

_Z- At the restaurant. Waiting for the client to show up._

_Z- Oh he’s here. TTYL._

_K- Have fun!_

Katara opened the picture of them she had taken last night. Zuko did not like having his pictures taken. He was too self-conscious of his scar. But he had never said no to her when she wanted a picture of his. Besides, she wanted a picture of him because of his hair. After the burn, Zuko had shaved all his hair so he could recover from the wound. For a while after that, he had closely cropped hair. That was the hairstyle he had when they were married. But now, his hair was longer, a shaggy mane that had a mind of its own. She had run her hands through his hair last night, relishing the softness of it. She liked the way he looked now. Less severe and more at peace with himself and the world in general. On the screen was her and Zuko, his arm draped around her shoulders, while her head was under his jaw.

Her phone rang, cutting off the picture and displaying Jet’s name. She felt a stab of regret for ignoring him since the party, and he deserved some explanation for her behavior. She answered the call, “Hello?”

“Katara! I was trying to reach you all day yesterday. Where have you been? How are you now?”

“Jet, I’m fine. I just had to take some time to myself.”

“Katara, you left me at the party. And then ghosted me for a whole day. Don’t you think you owe me a little more explanation than that?”

“Jet,” she sighed. “I admit that ditching you at the party was not an okay thing to do. It was not right. I was sick. And I needed some time alone.”

“But Katara,” Jet said in a voice that grated on her nerves. “That’s what I’m here for. You should be able to tell me if something is bothering you.”

Something in Katara snapped and she said, “Jet, thank you for offering, but no. I don’t want to talk to you about it.”

“Why? Katara, I asked you out and you went to the party with me. I thought that meant something. I thought we could get together now. But –“

“No, Jet,” Katara cut him off. “Thanks for asking me out, but I’m not dating you. You are a good friend, but I don’t think of you that way.”

Without waiting for an answer, Katara disconnected the call. A part of her felt bad for speaking to him the way she did, but she was done trying to tiptoe around his feelings. She had, on multiple occasions, hinted at them being just friends, but Jet simply refused to accept it. But now, she was done. She did not want to bend over backward for him anymore. She had tried and tried to spare him the pain, trying to let him down as gently as possible. He was not taking the hint. Zuko’s appearance had only brought to light the truth she had always known but had denied seeing.

“Sorry Jet,” she muttered, genuinely feeling bad for what she did to him.

* * *

Zuko drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, waiting for Katara. Since he had only rented the chauffer driven for up to that evening, he returned that and rented another car that he could drive himself. He didn’t know how long he would be staying in Gaoling and he wanted to have the freedom to move around at his own leisure. Moments later, Katara came out of her apartment complex and stole his breath without even trying. She was wearing a maroon off-shoulder, polka-dotted top that she had paired with an off-white pleated skirt and red pumps. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, two strands of her hair looped to frame her face. Even from across the street, he could see that she still had the bracelet on.

Last night, holding her to him, Zuko had felt as though his heart might burst through his ribcage. Seeing her in his shirt had been an incredibly arousing experience. Yet, he was in no rush. This… this meant more than anything in the world. Katara was the most important person in his life and he could not afford to make another mistake. She crossed the street, lowered herself into the red lotus he had rented, and dropped her bag in the backseat.

“Fancy car. So not your style.”

Zuko snorted. “The only other car that was available was a beat-up suburban. I’m not driving a soccer-mom car.”

Katara snickered. “I sort of rejected Jet today.”

“Sort of?” Zuko asked as he pressed on the gas. “What does that even mean?”

“Well,” she said, adjusting the passenger seat to her comfort. “I tried to tell him gently, but he didn’t understand so I was rude.”

Zuko raised his brow, “I don’t think I ever saw you mince your words.”

Katara smiled, “I have become mellowed with age, I think.”

“Aha,” he said and did not pursue the topic further. Instead, he spoke about something that he had been wondering about for a while. “Katara, when I was talking to Toph yesterday, it seemed that she probably has no idea about us. I was wondering, how much have you told people? I’m asking just so that, you know, I don’t accidentally say something that you don’t want your friends to know.”

Katara nodded and tapped a rhythm on the door handle. “They know I was married once. They don’t know who I was married to or why we separated.”

“Okay,” Zuko said, nodding slightly. “Spoke to Uncle earlier today. He sends you his love.”

“I miss him,” she said and Zuko knew she meant it. The bond that Katara and his Uncle shared was a beautiful one. “Later tonight, can I talk to him?”

“Of course! Any time you want.”

Zuko drove to a restaurant where Katara refused to let him pay for the dinner.

* * *

Katara stood in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to still her wildly beating heart. Packing her bag for the next few days had been tough. She wanted to initiate sex with Zuko but at the same time was terrified of doing so. She had missed him, missed his touch, his kisses, his skin on hers. Last night, despite her **hesitancy** , she had felt safe in his arms. It was as though she was home. Thus, while packing for the next few days, Katara had added a red, lacy number that she knew would get his attention. He had always liked seeing her in red. Which was why she had chosen the maroon top in the morning.

Katara picked up the red lingerie, with full intentions of wearing it. But now that the time was here, she lost her nerve. She took a deep breath, she dropped the lacy cloth in the bag and picked up her pajama-set, thankful that she had had the sense to pack them. She could still remember Suki’s eye-roll when she had spotted her packing the pajamas.

“Katara,” Suki had drawled watching her pack. “It’s obvious you’re going for a hot date with someone for a few days. Why pack pajamas? In fact, why pack any clothes? Wouldn’t you be naked most of the time?”

“Suki!” Katara cried, scandalized.

Even now, she felt a blush creep up her cheeks. Giving herself a mental shake, she put on her pajamas and walked out. Zuko was already in bed, reading something on his phone.

“Since when did you get glasses?” Katara asked, settling next to him.

“Just for reading, for my left eye,” Zuko said, taking them off. “Turns out there was some retinal damage.”

Katara snuggled up to him, laying her head on his shoulder. He draped an arm around her, running his fingers along her upper arm. “Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes. When I use my eyes a little too much. The glasses help.”

Gently, she ran her fingers along his scar, watching his eyes close as he leaned into her touch. Slowly, she leaned over and pressed her lips against the mottled skin. She traced his scar with her lips, gently moving to his nose, then down to his lips. With a groan, he opened his mouth to her. Greedy for his taste, she molded her lips against his. His tongue dipped into her mouth, driving her into a frenzy. With a groan, he drew her flush against himself. His hand curled into her hair, while she threw her arms around him, pulling him closer. The need for breath made him pull back, but moments later, his lips were on hers again. And again. And again. 


	6. Affirm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And with this chapter, the story comes to an end. I thank everyone for the support. Tomorrow is another one-shot and a small outtake for lols. Look for a Subterfuge update on Saturday.
> 
> PS: If you got a mail for an update on Broken hearts, that was my mistake. I pasted this chapter on Broken Hearts accidentally. I deleted it immediately, but still.

** Affirm  **

Katara sneezed, wiping her nose with her palm. Behind her, she heard Zuko sigh.

“Did you take your Claritin?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied with a drawl.

“Yeah, right,” he said, rubbed his hands on his jeans, and abandoned the bookshelf he had been working on. He walked over to the kitchen and came back armed with her allergy meds and a glass of water. Katara smiled, accepting them from him.

“Thanks, Zuko,” she said with a smile. “Not just for the Claritin, but for staying back. And for helping me with this. I can’t believe how much stuff I have gathered over the years.”

“Why is that a surprise?” Zuko said putting the empty glass on a table. “You have a tendency to hoard some junk.”

“Gee thanks!” Katara replied, knowing full well that he was telling the truth. Left unchecked, she could gather a lot of trash. Empty boxes, old receipts, junk mail, papers. They piled up. Now that she was seriously considering her relationship with Zuko, she also wanted to be ready, in case she decided to move to Caldera. Besides, her apartment had needed cleaning anyway. And since Suki was at Sokka’s for the weekend, Zuko volunteered. Having him on her case, nudging her in the right direction, helped her get a handle on her mess.

Last night, at dinner, Sokka and Zuko had reconnected. Suki, who had met him for the first time, approved of him instantly. It helped that Katara had brought her up to speed. The four of them sat chatting for hours, talking about what had gone by, what was happening, and what was to come. It was almost four in the morning when Zuko and Katara had come into her apartment and had promptly fallen asleep. After a cup of coffee and a late breakfast, the two of them had gotten to cleaning the apartment, as was the plan.

Zuko grinned and bopped her head gently, before getting to the bookshelf. Smiling to herself, Katara got back to her work, sorting through her boxes. The next fifteen minutes passed in relative silence, with one of them breaking it occasionally to ask the other about a certain item. Katara was looking through a series of bills when the doorbell rang. She dropped her stack of bills on the floor and went to open the door. Much to her surprise, she found herself looking at Jet.

“Jet?”

“Katara, can we talk?”

“Uh… yeah sure. Umm, come in,” Katara said, stepping to the side to allow the man to enter.

Jet’s eyes took in her messy hairstyle and pajamas. “Spring cleaning?”

“Yeah,” Katara said with a smile. “Come, sit. Coffee?”

“No, no, it’s okay.”

“Okay,” Katara sat down on a chair facing him, wondering if he wanted to talk about the way she had broken off. Katara licked her lips and took a deep breath. “Jet, about the last time we spoke –“

“Wait,” he said, cutting her off. “Before you say anything, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“What?”

“Why did you reject me?”

Katara sighed and leaned back on the chair, “Jet, I told you, I don’t like you that way.”

“Yeah, but why don’t you like me?” he pressed.

“Because I don’t. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“But Katara, that’s stupid. We are so happy together! We are perfect together.”

“Jet!” she said, unable to keep her voice down. Having heard her raised voice, Zuko walked out with a couple of books in his hands.

“Katara? Is everything okay?”

Jet whipped around and his eyes widened in recognition. “You? What are you doing here?”

Zuko raised his brow and said, “Hi Jet.”

Jet gave a snort as he pushed himself to his feet. “Duke was telling the truth. I didn’t want to believe it, but he was right!”

“Duke? What does he have to do with anything?” Katara asked, confused to see the normally happy and energetic man trembling with anger. “What is going on, Jet?”

“Why is _he_ here?” Jet asked through gritted teeth, pointing at Zuko. “In _your_ bedroom, no less. This just **affirms** what I thought.”

Katara shot up and glared at him, annoyed at his insinuation. “Jet! This is not what you think.”

“Yeah? Let me tell you exactly what I think, Katara. Ever since this man showed up, you have been distant. You avoided me, lied to me, and then rejected me. Why? Duke saw you the other day, at the hotel he works in. Going into a room with _him_. What is it, Katara? I look better than him, so I know it’s not his looks. So what? His money? Has to be. It is his money, isn’t it?”

“Enough!” Zuko roared, slamming the books on the dining table, as Katara jerked back as though she’d been slapped. “Not a word more from you.”

“Why? You come in and steal _my_ girlfriend from me. And you have the gall to ask me to shut up? Why? So you can fuck _my_ girlfriend in peace?”

“I’m _not_ your girlfriend, Jet,” Katara shouted, shooting to her feet.

Meanwhile, Zuko marched up to Jet and grabbed him by his collar, before saying through gritted teeth, “One more word about her, and I will break your fucking jaw.”

Jet pushed Zuko with all his might, making the latter stumble slightly. “Don’t you dare touch me, you asshole!”

Katara had had enough. Rage loosened her tongue and she screamed, “Jet! Shut up! Don’t talk about him like that. And I am _not_ your girlfriend.”

“Why? I was nothing but nice to you. But you are here with him. Why? What’s going on between the two of you? Tell me, are you sleeping with him? Is he paying you for it?”

“Jet! He’s my husband!” Katara screamed, just as Zuko’s fist met his jaw.

“Husband?” Jet said, rubbing his jaw. “ _You_ are the jerk she was married to? The one who left her?”

“He didn’t leave me, Jet,” Katara said, slowly. “I left him.”

“Because he was a jerk, right? Because he didn’t know how to treat you, Katara. I know it. I will treat you like a queen. Come with me, Katara.”

“Jet, enough!” Katara screamed. “You want to know why I rejected you? That was because _you_ left me to the side. You would take me to parties, parade me to your friends, show me off like I am some prized possession. And then, once you had all the attention, you pushed me to the side. Forgotten. I would be left alone, in the sidelines. I’m not asking for constant attention, Jet. But I don’t want to be treated like a trophy either. Or a queen for that matter. I want to be treated like a person. An equal. I want to be respected. Not put on a pedestal.”

Jet looked from her to Zuko and back. “And he gives you that respect? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes,” Katara said. 

“Then why did you leave him? If he was so _perfect_ , why would you leave him?”

Zuko took a deep breath and said, “That is none of your business.”

“Why? You can’t look me in the eye and tell me that you cheated on her and that’s why she left?”

“I left because our child _died,_ ” Katara sobbed, unable to stop her tears. In an instant, Zuko was next to her, holding her. “We couldn’t handle it at the time, and we broke apart. That’s it. He didn’t treat me wrong; he didn’t cheat on me. Nothing. It was just grief that tore us apart. That’s it.”

In a milder, calmer voice, Zuko said, “Seeing me again that day at the party, it was too much for her. That’s why she left the party. And in the couple of days that followed, we had a lot to talk about. That’s why she wasn’t taking your calls.”

Katara nodded. “I’m sorry, Jet. I know I shouldn’t have done that to you. Leaving you hanging like that… it was unfair. But I just couldn’t handle it, you know?”

Jet’s face scrunched as he ran his hand over his brows, as though he was having a headache. After a period of silence that lay heavy in the air, he looked up at Katara. “You’re getting back, aren’t you? Back with him? I never even had a chance, did I?”

At that moment, Katara knew that to be the truth. Somewhere during this fight, she had made up her mind. “Yes, Jet. I am,” she **affirmed**. “I am going back to Zuko. I’m moving to Caldera.”

* * *


	7. Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steamy drabble and a fun outtake.

And with this, my entries for Zutara Week comes to an end. Presented below are two drabbles. One is a steamy little drabble while the other is an outtake with the gAang that I had in mind for a while but didn’t know where to put it.

Thank you everyone who has been with me through this journey. It has been a memorable one. I love you all, my dear readers. You guys rock!

Starting Saturday or Sunday, we shall return to regular updates of **Subterfuge, Broken Hearts and Shattered Breaths** , and **Sleepless in Ba Sing Se**.

Last but not the least, thank you to my awesome Beta, **FictionallyFun**. I couldn’t have done it without you, gal.

As usual, read and review. 

* * *

** Rebirth  **

Gran-Gran always said that a woman had many births. First as a daughter. Second as a woman. Third as a wife, and then again as a mother. As a child, Katara never understood what she meant. But today, five days before her marriage, she thought she knew what it meant. She felt like a new person. Wasn’t that the essence of **rebirth**? Becoming a whole new person? Her body did not change much, but something within her felt different. Radiant.

Katara smiled and sat down in front of her dresser. She poured the jasmine oil in her hand and applied it on her hands and face. Next, she applied drops of sandalwood oil on her pulse points. In five days, she would be the Fire Lady. She had been extensively trained in the nightly care rituals that would keep her skin feeling soft and her body smelling heavenly. She loved feeling this way. She was dressed in a crimson one shoulder blouse and a wrap-around skirt, much like the one she wore in Ember Island. Her nightly care routine done; she stretched her arms above her head. She was just about to head to bed when there was a knock on her door. Only one person ever knocked on her door at this hour.

Smiling slightly, she opened the door to her soon-to-be husband.

“Hello, there,” she said with a smile.

“Hi. Can I come in?”

Katara gave him a look as if to say ‘ _really?’_ before she moved to the side to allow him inside. She closed the door after him. As he walked into her room, she marveled at the man whom she loved with all her heart. Their relationship had gone from enemies to friends to lovers and now, they were about to be married. How time changed. Katara’s ruminations were cut short when Zuko placed a big bag on her dresser.

“That’s for you,” he said. “Something for the wedding.”

“What is that?”

Zuko gave a half-smile, the kind that set her pulse racing and said, “The jewelry for the Fire Nation ceremonies.”

They were planning on having a Fire Nation style wedding in the morning and at night, under the full moon, a Water Tribe style wedding. “Can I see them?”

He waved a hand, “Be my guest. You look nice, by the way.”

“Thank you,” she gave him a bright smile and opened the bag. She picked out a piece of gold jewelry and frowned. It had a strand of tiny gold flowers inlaid with rubies. Two small gold tear-drop shapes were linked to the center of the strand. At the end of the second ruby was a bigger gold flower, studded with diamonds and rubies, with two more ruby teardrops leading to ruby and gold studded flower, that was a ring.

“What is this?” She asked.

“You don’t know?”

Katara shook her head, “I have never seen anything like this. I don’t know what it’s called, much less how to wear it.”

He nodded with a smile and said, “It’s called a hand blossom. Let me show you how to wear it.”

Saying so, Zuko took the ornament from her hand and came to stand behind her. He leaned over, his body brushing gently against her, making her skin break into goosebumps. Slowly, he slid the ring on her middle finger, adjusted the big flower on the back of her hand, and clasped the chain around her wrist.

“This piece of ornament is meant to draw attention to your hands,” he whispered, his breath tickling her neck as he slipped the matching ornament on her other hand. That done, he bent down while brushing against her, and picked another piece of jewelry.

“This is an armband,” he said as he draped the chain around her bicep, his fingers brushing against her skin. A diamond and ruby studded flower sat at the center, with a thinner chain at the top to hold it in place. Zuko brushed his fingers along her collar bones, before trailing them against her shoulder to pull the flower up and clasp the chain just below her underarm.

The third piece of jewelry was a necklace, consisting of large gold flowers decorated with diamonds and rubies, with a gold vine running through them. Small buds of diamonds spread at random places. Slowly, he moved her hair, his fingers skimming against the back of her neck. Katara let out a sigh and closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the sensation. He brushed his lips against the crook of her neck, making her shudder. As he tenderly clasped the necklace, she leaned against him. His hands trailed a line of fire against her arms, before reaching for the next piece of jewelry, which was earrings that matched the necklace.

“I had these made for you,” he whispered in her ears as he put the earrings on. They were a pair of large flowers, much like the necklace, with a leaf and some buds dangling from them. “But you look even better than I imagined.”

The next ornament he picked matched the necklace, but it had only one flower with six petals. From each petal, gold chains extended out, three of which met a hook on one end while the other three met another hook on the other side. “This is called a hair blossom,” he said as he lay the flower at her hair parting. He threaded the hooks on both sides of her hair, with the lowest chain lining her hairline.

Katara picked up the next ornament, without looking and handed it to him. She noticed his breath hitch slightly as he accepted it and said, “This is a waistband.”

His hot and calloused fingers brushed against her exposed skin as he hooked the thin gold chain around her waist. Unable to take the sweet torture any longer, Katara spun around and brought her lips to his. But before she could kiss him, though, he lay a finger on her lips.

“Patience, my love, patience,” he said in a seductive purr. He ran his thumb along her lower lip and said, “Your lips will be painted too, you know? Red.”

Her breath and heartbeat were completely erratic as he lowered her on her chair and knelt on one knee in front of her. He reached over and picked up another pair of jewelry. He lifted her foot and lay it on his knee. He clasped an anklet on one foot before cradling the other and putting it on his knee. The anklet felt cold against her skin, even as her entire body was on fire. Slowly, he lifted her leg and placed a soft kiss on her foot. Katara’s back arched and she bit her lip. He traced a line with his lips, as he moved to her knee. His hands grabbed her thighs as he moved further up, kissing over her skirt. Slowly, he reached over her most intimate part. Katara grasped the edges of the chair as he placed a slow kiss over her pubic region.

“Tui and La!” she breathed and shuddered.

Slowly, he moved further up, laying open-mouthed kisses on the exposed skin of her waist. He moved higher and higher, brushing his nose between her breasts, before moving to her bare shoulder.

“Zuko,” his name was a plea on her lips. A prayer. Her mind had gone all fuzzy as he reached her lips. He molded his mouth against her and Katara melted into him.

After the kiss, he lay his head against her and said, “I can’t wait for the day when I will take all this off.”

At that moment, she realized that she was going to love this **rebirth** of hers.

* * *

* * *

** Additional fun outtake **

Katara dodged the boulder Toph chucked her way and whirled around to send a whip to Aang. Since he was being attacked from two sides, with fire and water, he jumped high up.

“That’s cheating,” Zuko yelled and punched a blast of fire at him. The twelve-year-old blew the flame away. It was a four-way sparring session, with Aang permitted to only use Air Bending. All four of them were sweaty and grimy.

Landing on the ground with catlike grace, Aang sent a powerful gust of wind, knocking Katara off her feet. Katara pulled on a strand of water to balance herself. But before she could completely gather her wits, Zuko sent a burst of flame to her. She managed to block it in the last second but then, Toph decided to join the fray and yanked the ground from beneath Katara’s feet. Katara tried to balance herself by wind milling her arms, but Toph slid the Earth again and she pitched to the ground face first. Katara closed her eyes, ready to feel the ground slam on her face. Instead, she felt a pair of strong arms grabbing her. She opened her eyes and saw Zuko pull her up.

“You okay?” he asked.

Before she could answer, however, Sokka screamed from the stairs. “Zuko! What the heck, man?”

All four benders turned to look at Sokka who stomped right up to the Prince. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Err… sparring?”

“No! You’re getting handsy with my sister.”

“Would you rather he just let her fall?” Aang asked, looking genuinely curious.

“Calm your pants, Snoozles,” Toph added.

Sokka shook his head, “No. I saw him. He was definitely getting handsy. Really Zuko? How would _you_ like it if I got handsy with your sister?”

“Two things,” Zuko said holding up two fingers in front of Sokka’s face. “One, I’m not getting handsy with Katara. Second, you want to get handsy with _Azula?_ Be my guest.”

Sokka raised a finger and opened his mouth to say something, lost his words and made a comical face.

“I so want to see that,” Aang said, giggling behind his hands.

“Sokka will lose his hand,” Katara added, sniggering.

“Or head,” Suki supplied.

“I would pay to see it. And I can’t even see!”


End file.
